What Might Have Been
by Dark Amystika
Summary: Pre-"Twilight," before James met Victoria or Laurent. James engages in a new hunt, one unlike any he's had before. But his prey isn't so easy to catch. And she has a few surprises in store for James...oneshot, based more around the movie, please R&R!


**Disclaimer: **I don't own any _Twilight_ characters or concepts mentioned herein, or the music used, etc., etc., and so on and so forth, no one reads this part anyway.

**What Might Have Been**

It was a beautiful, bitingly cold night with a thousand stars lighting the black velvet sky and dancing around the pearlescent moon. James breathed in deeply through his nose and sighed contentedly. Nights like these made him glad to be what he was. Impervious to the cold he walked with his jacket open, baring his muscular abdomen. His hair was tied back out of his way, as always, and his hands were casually slipped in the pockets of his jeans, thumbs hooked through the belt loops. Girls, and some guys, eyed him as he walked by, but none of them caught his interest for more than a fleeting second. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he was bored and looking for something to do. His aimless wandering eventually brought him outside the town and heading up the hill towards the cemetery.

_'How cliché,'_ he thought with a small _humph._ Still, there was nothing else to do. And he could hear music and laughter drifting among the tombstones. There was some kind of party going on. James smiled. Finally, some entertainment. Following his keen senses, it wasn't hard to find the group of reckless teens dancing around the graves. One girl in particular stood out, and James stopped to observe her. Golden-brown hair fell in a thick braid to the waistband of her tight red and black zebra-striped jeans. She wore a lacey black tube top, apparently heedless of the cold, and swung her well-toned arms over her head, her head thrown back as she laughed and sang:

_"Everything is paid for tonight while at the party of the dead dancing in their graves!  
__The drinks here are free so relax, enjoy the sight of all the dead dancing in their graves!  
__And as the world that they built told 'em to change, told 'em to listen they just kept it the same,  
And now that midnight has come, I'm in a room watching the dead dancing in their graves!"_

James cocked his head curiously, watching the revelry with interest. The teens danced wildly, passing around Gothic chalices – or rather, cheap imitations of – filled with sweet, hot red wine. The girl singing along to the Avenged Sevenfold tune held a different cup: black glass on a pewter stem molded to look like a flock of bats in a tapering sort of pattern, starting off narrow at the base of the cup and widening downwards. Clearly she was the leader, or the hostess as it were, and James couldn't keep from smiling. Despite the chill, there was a thin film of sweat on her forehead and temples, and her blood pulsed so hard and so fast that James could hear it even over the din of the laughter and pounding music. He could almost taste that blood on his tongue, and made up his mind that instant that he would have her. He approached the group, and the girl noticed him out of the corner of her eye. Her eyebrows rose in surprise and her smile turned seductive.

"Well hel-_lo_ there," she said coyly. James smiled again.

"You got an invitation, Blondie?" a dark-haired boy demanded hotly.

"Back off Chris, this is my party," the girl said warningly as she walked up to James and pushed the interloper aside. She smiled again at James. "Sorry about him, he thinks he's my boyfriend or something." James laughed. "Well, you're welcome to join us if you want. I'm Rhapsody." She extended her hand, and James shook it.

"James," he said. Rhapsody started to speak, and then realized that the music had stopped and everyone was watching them. She looked over her shoulder at the group.

"Continue!" she called in a 'no duh!' sort of tone. The music started immediately and attention returned to the party. Rhapsody rolled her eyes and looked back at James. "I'm sorry; I think most of them are high."

"It's all right," replied James. "I'm used to it." Smiling again, Rhapsody inclined her head in a gesture inviting James to follow her as she walked back towards the group. "So what's the occasion?" James inquired. Usually he would have just lured the girl away from the group and done what he wanted with her, but he decided to play a new game with this girl: seduce and destroy.

"It's a celebration of those who have passed on," Rhapsody explained. "Some people think it's in poor taste, dancing here like we do, but there's nothing blasphemous about it. We dance with our families who are buried here, to remind ourselves that they aren't so far beyond our reach and to remind them that we are still thinking of them. Tonight we're dancing for my family. We call ourselves the Midnight Syndicate. Maybe it's a little corny, but it suits us."

"I like it," James said. Rhapsody smiled again.

"Can I get you a drink?" she offered.

James smiled privately, laughing silently. "No, thank you. Maybe later."

Rhapsody nodded and looked back to the group. "Personally, I think my grandma, grandfathers, and my uncles would find this funny. And I hope that when I die, my surviving family and friends will do this for me."

"I think I understand." James gazed around thoughtfully before looking back at Rhapsody. She gazed at him, her eyes so blue they were almost black.

"Dance with me," she said, extending her hand. It didn't seem to be a question.

James chuckled. "Direct, aren't you," he commented as he took her hand. Rhapsody laughed.

"You'll never get what you want if you don't go after it," she answered. That made James laugh outright as they started to dance. He could see the arteries pulsing in her neck, and it grew harder to for him to control himself. Impulsively he pulled her close to him, pressing his body against hers. She gave a small yelp of surprise, followed by a throaty laugh. _"Now_ who's being direct?" she teased. James laughed, spinning her around suddenly and pulling her back to him. He was sinking into his bestial nature and getting a little rough, but Rhapsody didn't seem to notice. It seemed she wasn't as fragile as most humans. This was going to be fun once the hunt came to its climax. But James found he was having a hell of a time concentrating on the hunt. It was different this time; he was actually interacting with his prey. He had never done that before, and it was strange. Still, it was interesting. And he certainly wasn't bored anymore. Tonight, maybe tomorrow at a stretch, he'd have Rhapsody. No, he couldn't wait until tomorrow. He couldn't wait through another song. He wanted her, now. Smiling seductively, he leaned close to her ear.

"I know we've only just met, but how about we find somewhere a little quieter? Get to know each other?" Rhapsody smiled up at him.

"I think I know just the place," she replied. Taking his hand, she led him quickly away from the bacchanal and down through the trees back into town. Without a word she brought him to an abandoned warehouse, kicked open the door, and drew James inside. He smiled. This was too easy.

Rhapsody dropped his hand, turned around, and shut the door behind them. "So what did you-" she began, turning around, but James was gone. She blinked in surprise, eyes scanning the darkness. "James? Where are you?" She smiled playfully. "Are you trying to scare me?"

"Is it working?"

Rhapsody turned around to face James. "I don't spook easily."

James grinned evilly. "I guess I'll have to try harder, then." His hand shot out with unnatural speed to grab her throat…but before his fingers even brushed her flesh she'd seized his wrist, flipped him over, and thrown him to the ground. James stared up at her in amazement as she smiled down at him devilishly.

"Good effort," she said. "Execution needs a little work, though."

James was on his feet in less than a heartbeat, locking his gaze with hers. Suddenly he grabbed hold of her and threw her across the room. As soon as she hit one of the steel girders, James was right in front of her to pin her there. "This is going to be an interesting fight."

"Yes indeed," said Rhapsody with a devilish smile. She slammed her knee into his chest and kicked him hard enough to send him flying several feet. He stared up at her in amazement. Her strength almost rivaled a vampire's. How could a human be so strong?

Rhapsody treated James to a dark smile as she pulled on a pair of leather gloves studded with razor blades. "I love this game," she said with a wicked grin. James grinned back.

"Yeah," he said, getting up slowly, "me _too!"_ He emphasized his point with a roundhouse to Rhapsody's head, throwing her back.

"Ung!" she grunted as she landed, flipping up on her feet almost immediately. She slowly wiped away a trickle of blood from her mouth, her cold eyes never leaving James's face. "My granny kicks harder than that," she taunted. Smirking, she beckoned him with her blade-studded fingers. "C'mon deadhead, dazzle me!" James snarled and lunged at her, seizing her by the throat. Rhapsody clawed at his face, backhanding him once before he grabbed her arm, wrenched it around, and choke-slammed her to the ground. She kicked him, flipping him over her before scrambling to her feet, panting. James jumped up and spun to face her. Rhapsody smiled at him darkly. "You're not bad."

James gave her a wicked grin. "Neither are you. What are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Rhapsody laughed. "If you can knock me down again, maybe I'll tell you."

"Easy enough!" James jumped high in the air, sailing over Rhapsody's head and landing behind her before reaching to grab hold of her. To his shock, she backflipped over his head and landed behind him, locking her arm around his throat with unbelievable strength.

"I was being easy on you," she hissed in his ear before throwing him forward and kicking him in the small of his back, sending him flying several yards forward and landing on his face. Before he could even get up, Rhapsody was on top of him, "Had enough yet?" she asked. In response James seized her wrists and tore her gloves clean off her hands, making her cry out in surprise and annoyance. She wrenched back, yanking both of them to their feet. Spinning around, James threw Rhapsody against another girder and held her there, both of them panting for breath.

"Now," he said, "what are you?" Smiling, Rhapsody wrenched her wrists free of his grasp and struck him in the chest with both fists, knocking him back a few feet.

"You never did ask me my name. My _full_ name." She smiled at James as he gathered himself. "Ask me now. Ask me my name."

James regarded her for a moment, trying to figure out what to make of her. "What's your full name?" he asked eventually.

Again Rhapsody smiled. _"Venator._ Rhapsody Venator."

James's eyes went wide. "The Hunters' clan."

"Right in one," Rhapsody chuckled. _"'Venator'_ – Latin for hunter. My family has hunted your kind for centuries. As long as vampires have existed, so have we. I've been trained to hunt and kill your kind almost since I was born. I've drunk vampires' blood. I've gained a measure of your powers. The hunters have always drunk the blood of their kills; that's how we're able to carry the fight against you. As an apprentice, I've only been given small amounts from the conquests of my family members. But still, I am the strongest of my generation. Like you," she added, looking up at him. "I knew what you were the instant I felt your eyes on me. I was hunting you even as you were hunting me." Her smile faded and her eyes grew sad. "But…"

"'But' what?" asked James when Rhapsody fell silent.

"But I didn't want to kill you," she said. "No one ever asked if I want this, if I like this. And I don't. I haven't hunted on my own yet, or killed, and I keep putting it off because I don't want to do it. I don't have it in me to kill, not like the rest of my family. Or you, for that matter." She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Then what are we doing here?" asked James.

_"You_ wanted to come. I don't know why I followed; I knew your intent." She smiled a little, reaching to caress his cheek. "Now I understand what they say about the wrong kind of man. It's your ruthlessness, your raw animal nature that draws me to you. You are evil, James, I can sense it, and that's what makes me want you. I'm tired of pretending to be some kind of hero. I'm not Buffy the fucking Vampire Slayer."

"But she had a couple vampire boyfriends," James pointed out with a sly smile. Rhapsody smiled back. Suddenly her hand snaked around the back of James's neck and she pulled him in towards her, crushing her lips against his. James was surprised, but he responded to the kiss, deepening it. They kissed again and again, and James pressed Rhapsody back against the girder. After a time, Rhapsody jerked away and shoved James with all her strength. Caught off guard, James fell back on the floor. Rhapsody was on him in an instant, covering his body with hers as she smiled down at him wickedly.

"Bet you haven't felt _this_ in a long time," she said, bending down and biting his neck viciously. Her teeth weren't nearly sharp enough to break his skin, but that wasn't her aim. James laughed, seizing her waist and flipping her over so he was on top of her. Snarling playfully, he grabbed the front of her top and ripped it clean off her, throwing it aside and descending on her, kissing her breasts, her collarbone, her neck, and finally her lips, rough and deep. She twined her fingers in his hair, her other arm wrapped around his shoulders. Clumsily she yanked at his jacket, trying to pull it off. James pulled back with a laugh, dropping his arms so his jacket slipped off. Rhapsody ran her fingertips over his well-defined abs, giggling. With a surge of strength she rolled them over, reversing their positions again. She could feel bruises forming on her hips, arms, and wrists, but she didn't care. Over and over she kissed him, sliding her fingers just under the waistband of his jeans and tickling his hips. James chuckled, turning them over yet again and pinning her down by her wrists.

"I want to hear you scream," he growled in her ear.

Rhapsody laughed. "Then _make_ me scream," she hissed back, biting his earlobe. She gasped suddenly as she felt James yank at her belt, snapping it, and undo her pants, sliding them down and letting his nails graze her skin. She pulled at his jeans, exposing him as he had exposed her. A scream tore from her lips as James thrust into her. Her back arched, her body pressing into his as she gasped for breath, ecstatic. James was gentle now, rocking against her as he kissed her heatedly. He could smell blood coming from her as he broke through her virginity. She clutched at his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin, before they both reached an incredible climax. Slowly James withdrew from Rhapsody, fixing his jeans as he gazed down at her. Rhapsody looked up at him, her eyes glazed over under heavy lids as she smiled at him.

_'I've never hunted quite like this before,'_ he thought. He had hunted his prey and conquered her in a way he hadn't expected. Or had she conquered him? He wasn't sure, but he liked it nonetheless. Smiling, he sat back on his heels and lifted Rhapsody, laying her across his lap and wrapping his jacket around her. She sighed as she laid her head against his bare chest, her soft hair tickling his skin.

"Have I really done this?" she asked softly.

"Do you regret it?" asked James, holding her against him.

"I don't think so," Rhapsody answered. "I just…never expected something like this would happen." She looked up at him. "Are you going to try and kill me?" James laughed.

"After that? No way." He smiled, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. She smiled back.

"I've betrayed my entire family tonight," she said softly. "And I've never felt so good." Looking up at James, she said, "I want to go with you. Wherever it is you're going, I want to go too."

James looked at her thoughtfully. "You can't." Rhapsody looked up at him, surprised and hurt. James smiled. "You can't like _this."_ Sliding his hand under her head, James lifted her slowly, bending down to meet her throat with his lips. He felt her pulse quicken as he parted his lips against her neck, his teeth grazing her skin. She let her head drop back, baring her throat.

_"Rhapsody!"_

Both Rhapsody and James's heads snapped up at once, looking for the source of the shout. "Dad," Rhapsody whispered, staring at the man in the doorway of the warehouse – Richard Venator. He stared back in shock and horror at the sight of his daughter lying in the arms of a vampire. Rhapsody quickly closed James's jacket around herself as he helped her to her feet. The horror on her father's face slowly morphed into murderous rage. "Daddy, I…"

"Whore," her father hissed. "You traitorous _whore!"_

"You betrayed me!" Rhapsody shouted. "I never wanted this! I'm not a butcher like you!" Her voice broke and tears burned in her eyes. "I'm your _daughter._ You're supposed to love me for who I am, not who you want me to be."

"This _is_ who you are!" Richard roared. "You are a Hunter! You were born a Hunter, and you will always be a Hunter!"

"No!" Rhapsody pressed close to James. "I've never been a Hunter. I don't _want_ to be a Hunter."

"You would rather be a monster like that leech you're clinging to?" Richard demanded.

Rhapsody's eyes were icy. "Yes. Yes I would."

Richard's face was nearly purple with rage. "Then you can _die_ like one." In an instant he had torn Rhapsody away from James and pitched her across the room.

"Oh no you don't!" James growled, rushing the senior Venator and taking him down. In response, Richard punched James across the face and threw him back with his feet. James slid across the floor and slammed into a girder with enough force for it to bend around his body. While he struggled to free himself Richard approached his daughter, blocking her from view. "No!" shouted James, fighting to unbend the girder.

"Dad, Daddy listen to me!" he heard Rhapsody cry before an ear-piercing scream of pain split the air. With a surge of strength James broke free and attacked Richard, ripping out his throat with his nails and buried his face in the fountain of blood that gushed out. What he didn't drink poured down his chin and soaked into Richard's clothes or spilled on the floor. It didn't take long to drain Richard completely, and he dropped his bled-out body to the ground and kicked it aside, dropping next to Rhapsody.

"Rhapsody," he said, lifting her in his arms. "Rhapsody, can you hear me?" Rhapsody groaned in pain. Her father had stabbed her and ripped her open from her stomach to her collarbones, exposing her organs. She was already lying in a growing pool of her own blood. James quickly descended on her, biting her throat and drawing on her blood. He only hoped there was enough left…

_**Five years later**_

James walked up the path with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Victoria and Laurent walked with him, both curious about his strange mood. He hadn't said where they were going or what they were doing, just that he wanted them to come with him. Finally he stopped and set down the stereo he was carrying. Slowly he knelt in front the gravestone and sighed.

"Sorry Rhapsody," he said simply. "I wasn't fast enough." The picture set into the headstone just smiled back at him silently.

_'Wonder what might have been if I'd saved her,'_ he thought. _'I think I could've loved her. Maybe.'_ He rose up, brushing dirt and grass from his pants.

"Who is she?" asked Laurent.

"Someone I met a long time ago," replied James. "I just wanted to visit as long as we were here." He regarded the headstone a moment longer before turning on the stereo. "I think she liked this song." Smiling, he reached for Victoria and they started to dance. Laurent smiled and joined in. There were other kids coming towards them, kids James recognized from the night when he had met Rhapsody. They too joined in the dance. And James could almost hear Rhapsody laughing…and singing:

_"Everything is paid for tonight while at the party of the dead dancing in their graves!  
__The drinks here are free so relax, enjoy the sight of all the dead dancing in their graves!  
__And as the world that they built told 'em to change, told 'em to listen they just kept it the same,  
And now that midnight has come, I'm in a room watching the dead dancing in their graves!"_

_**~ fin ~  
**_


End file.
